Lubricator for deep-well-drilling apparatus



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-- @.E. REED LUBRICATOR FOR DEP WELL DRILLING APPARATUS v Filed Jan, 1s. 192s Fig.

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M3155@ l C. E. REED A l' Filed Jan. 1s. 1925; 2 sneets-shet av [L/my 32,) EQZEQ LUBRICATOR FOR DEEP WELL DRILLINQ .APPARATUS 2% VLE www Mu ,n mw :af

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cutters must be mme May 12, 1925.

CLARENCE' E. REED, OE HOUSTON, TEXAS, OE HOUSTON, TEXAS, A

AssTGNOR To REED ROLLER BIT OMPANY, CORPORATION OE TEXAS.

'LULBBfICA'IOlEt FOR DEEP-WELL-DRILLING APIARATUS.

ApplicationA filed January 13, 1923. Serial No..61'2,481.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, CLARENCE E. REED, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas7 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricators for Deep-Well-Drilling Apparatus, of which the following is a speclfication.

The invention relates-to means for lubricating the bearings ofthe rotary cutters of deep well -drilling 'apparatus and includes the features and arrangements and combination of parts'hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings i Fig. lis a central 'vertical section of the apparatus, excepting that at the plane ofthe lower cutters the section is taken along lines at right angles to eachother, the right hand portion bein taken through the side cutters, while the le t handportion is shown in section along the'axis of the cross roller cutters.

Fig. 2 is an .enlarged sectional View of parts o f the cross roller cutter and its jourr nal' pin and showing an adjacent part of the cutter head'and means for controlling the feed of lubricant.

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views showing a train of gears for reducing the rate of move- `ment'of the piston in forcing the lubricant from its holder.

Fig. 5 illustrates enlarged the friction clutch'arrangement shown also in Fig. 1.-

The invention may ybe embodied in ap` paratus of different forms, and it is therefore to be understood that the form shown is illustrative of the principle of-my invention and is not to be regarded as a limitation thereon, the sc ope of which is defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings 1 is a part of the drill stem through which flushing fluid is forced downwardly, by a pump on the drill rig platform for removing the detritus, which passes up between the drill stem and the wall of the well, after being dislodged rby the cutters.A These cutters may he of various forms and arrangements. They consist in the form chosen` to illustrate my invention of side cutters 2, a cross roller cutter 3 and reaming cutters 7 The bearings of these lubricated and for this purpose I show, as an exam le of my invention, a tube 4 arranged coaxially with the drill stem and within the same,

said tube being screw threaded at its lower end onto a sock# et member 5 which in turn is screw threaded into some part of the drill head. Inthe 'instance illustrated this socket is .screw threaded into the reamer blockv 6, which carries .reaming cutters 7 for reaming out the well hole formed by the cutters at the'lower end of the apparatus. y

The iiushing fluid passes clown through thedrill stem and through the annular space 8 between the lubricant reservoir 4 and the drill stem, thence through ports 9 and con-l duit 10 in the socket member, from whence it is delivered through the central bore A11'of the reamer block to conduits 12 of the drill head which deliver it to the recesses ofthe head in which the rotary' cutters are located so that the cuttings or material cut or dislodged by the cutters will be carried up outside'of the drill stem. to be discharged from the well.

The lubricant forced from the reservoir 4, as hereinafter described, passes through the conduit 13 of the socket `member 5 into the.

cup shaped space 14 at Vthe upper end of the reamer block, thence through conduits 15 of the reamer block and through conduits 16 of the drill head 17 to the bearings of the cutters 2 and 3, and distribution also takes place through conduits 18 to the bearings of the reamer cutters.

The lubricant is forced from the holder`4 through the various ports by a piston 19.

A screw threaded rod or shaft 20 extends lengthwise of the lubricating chamber and through the piston, which is correspondingly screw threaded. The shaft has its plain upper end bearing .in a cap 22 which is screw threaded into the upper end of the lubricant holder. An extension of this shaftalso bears inv the coupling member 5-and there is a hydraulic packing at 23. The shaft is continued down through the water passages 10 and 11 and through the bit head at 24 'and then on through the journal'pin 25 of the cross roller cutter, as shown in Fig. 2, and if there is a cross brace in the lower recess of the head embracing this pin it will ex:

journal pin 2`5is a `fixed member supported in the walls'ofthe head deiining the central recess in the lower face .of the head, 1n whichrecess the sections ofthe cross roller cutterY smallest diameter.-

I'the form of Shaft shown ini-Fig.' 'lit provided with a joi'nt consisting of afs'ocliet portion receiving 'the squared upper: end

. 31 of the lower shaftsection with a .spr-ing.

' section 34 pressed againstit byV a. nut jby 32linte'rposedso that the lower section 2 0l `may bear on the bottom' of the hole,. or`

y'ra'theron the apex 27#with:afyieldingfpresv' sure. y i j The piston` 19 has a packing held'. by tho '-which the packing is set in fricti'onal 4contact with the wall of the lubricant holder`4f'so' as v-to rotate therewith as t-he'whole apparatus .is rotated.' Other means may be. provided to, make the piston rotate-'with the whole apparatus, while allowing it `to be moved along the holder.

The spring 32 will cushion the shock of the .Contact 'of the shaft section 20 with the bottom ofthe hole, and'by'its pressure it will determine the strength of this Contact.A

In theoperation of the apparatus "the whole drillstem with the drill;v head is rotat-A- ed .iiifthefxijell to performth'e 'cutting vopera-` tionfaildth'e lubricant holderand piston ro- .r- 4'notrotate.'in.unison 'with the, apparatus and nlthfu'sf the piston in' turningl around the screwl rod .-willbe .advanced downwardly along theto forec-x the i lubricant The screw will 'rotate butwill lag in its 'rate of rotation in respect to'the' rate ,of ro` tation of the whole-- "apparatus, the difference init-hesera'tes 'determining the rate that thel 'piston willtravel along' thescrew. The lag .'of the screw is due to" its-contactwithI the Ibottomof the well.

'of the flushing fluid.. Any., suitable means?y may be .employed "to .vent the. upper. endA of The cap 22 may be provided' spaced apart projections lt'o bear on vthe. drill stem tobrace the upper end 'ofthe lubricant 'cliamf ber without interfering 'with' the doiiinfl0-w the lubricant chamber t'o. prevent 'the--. fc1 r mal tion of a vacuum 'here as the piston isnioved down by rotating relative to the screw shaft.

F'g. lfsliows-'only 'about one-half of 'this' ting' a squaredI portion' 51 of the "section, and fit-is pressed into engagement with'the lower vfriction Vmember by a spring .52, the tension of 'there w p v -ment 'ofthe piston andfavery slow feed of A port may lead to thea/nj stem or into the interi'rv 'vof the drill stem., The screw threads are formed at alow pitch screw a very small distance-.-v As 's hownin tside of 4 the `'drill l n -so that one revolution ofthe piston .inv4 re#l -spect thereto will `move thepiston along the Fiv's. 3 and 4 reduction Oearinor ma ffbe i114' t) 7 D t;

vterposed-in the shafting whichcontrols the screw threaded portion. This gearing may be located in the lower portioirfof the lubri cant holding chamber where itis subn'ierg'ed in the 'lubricant andis not subject, to con- A Atact with the flushing fluid. It includesy a plate 36 lon-the 'upper end of the lower sec-,r

tion 20 of the shaft-ing. Theplate has a. .pinion composed yOf-an upper tooth ed section 37 of small diameter and a loweeportion' '38 of larger diameter, lthe latter meshing with `avracki39 .ii'xedwbyua screw 44 tothe casing' 45- iixedv at 45 to the lubricantV V chamber. Thegupper smaller diameter portion of the pinion .meshes with a gear member 40 which,

like -thef:plate`36, has a pin 41l about which Aa pinion 421,-turns, the lower larger Vdiameter 4toothed p'ortio'nmeshi'ng with a fixed rack '43'and the upper smaller diameter toothed' portion meshing with afinternai rotary gear 46-connect'ed to the screw shaft section 20.V lThis-reduction gearing-.givesa downward ratio equivalentl to two-inches perhour of piston Aspeed when .the apparatus is rgnning at 60 R. RUM@ l In Fig, -5 is' shown enlarged the friction' -clutch interposed between the upper and lower slia'ft' sections 20, 20. .This mechanism of Fig. 5 is located in the lubricant chainbe-inf 'lhe lower member 47 of the clutch has a. squared hub 4-8fiitting in tle squaredsocket'49, ofthe lower shaft section 20. -It isfheld on the lower-end of the up/f per section 'of the shaft by -a'nut 50. The

upper clutch member Ihas a squared :hub'fitupper shaft In this constructionY rotation of vthe lower shaft section is retard'edor resisted contact -with lthe bottom ofthe h0le,-iand slippage occurs at the friction clutches in .ac-

cordancewith the adjustment of the spring 52, and thisv slippage in connection with whatever degreev of retardation takes place vat the lower shaft secti'onvdeterniines the',

mo'vementof the screw shaft section 20 in.`

relation to therate of rotation of thepi'ston. A

If thlscrew shaft? lags very little', tl1en lbe .a very slow downward movethe lubricant, so that-thel supply of lubricant, will la-st for a considerable periodi oit" drill? the apparatus from the well for refilling of the lubricant `chamber for a long time.

ing, this rendering .it unnecessary to remove lu this refilling operation the cap Q2 and the piston would be removed. The screw sha l`t could remain in place.

'The spring cushion maybe used l'orms shown.

lt will be understood that do notA limit myself to the use oi. the friction clutch shown in Figs. l and nor to the reduction gearing between the shaft sections.

l claim i l. ln rotary deep well drilling apparatus the. combination of a drill stem, a head carrying cutters, a lubricant chamber with conduits leading to the cutter bearings, a piston in the chamber for fm'cingv the lubricant to the cutter bearings, a screw threaded rod extending lengthwise ot the lubricant chamber and through the piston, said screw rod having an extension coaxial with the apparatus and bearing at the center of the bottom of the hole being drilled, saidextension holding the screw rod against rotating in unison with the rotation of the whole. aiiparat-us together with thc piston whereby said piston is advanced along the screw rod, sul'istantially as described.

2. In rotary deep well drilling apparatus the combination of a drill stem, a` head carrying cutters, a lubricant chamber with conduits leading to the cutter bearings, a piston in the chamber t'or forcing the lubricant to the cutter bearings, a screw threaded rod extending lengthwise ot the lubricant chamber and through the piston, said screw rod having an extension coaxial with the apparatus and bearing at the center of the bottom of the hole being drilled, said eXtension holding the screw rod against rotating in unison with the rotation of the whole apparatus together with the piston whereby said piston is advanced along the screw rod, said extension and screw rod having relative movement: and a connectionbetween them permitting' said relative movement, substantially as described.

3. In rotary deeprwell drilling apparatus the combination of a drill stem, a head carrying cutters, a lubricant chamber lwith conduits leading to the cutter bearings, a piston in the chamber for forcing the lubricant to the cutter bearings, a screw threaded rod extending lengthwise of the lubricant chamber and through the piston, said screw rod having'v an extension coaxial with the apparatus and bearing at the center of the bottom ot the holev being drilled, said extension holding the screw rod ,against'roin alll the tat/ing in unison with the rotation of the whole apparatus together with the piston whereby-said piston is advanced along the screw rod, and a spring cushion pressing said extension downwardly. y

4. ln rotary deep well drilling apparatus the combination of a drill stem, a head carrying cutters, a lubricant chamber with conduits leading to the cutter bearings, a piston in the chamber for forcing the lubricant tothe cutter bearings, a screw threaded rod extending lengthwise of the lubricant chamber and through the piston, said screw rod having an extension coaxial with the apparatus and bearing at the center of the bottom of the hole being drilled, said extension holding the screw rod against rotating in unison with the rotation of the whole apparatus together with the piston whereby said piston is advanced along the screw rod, and

'having an extension coaxial with the appa- 'ratus and bear-ing at the center of the bottom of the hole being drilled, said extension holding-the screw rod against rotating in unison with the rotation of the whole apparatus together with the piston whereby said piston is advanced along the screw rod, and a friction clutch connection betweenthe screw rod and its extension, substantially IasA described.

6. In rotary deep well drilling apparatus the combination of a drill stem, a head carrying cutters, a lubricant chamber with conduits leading to the cutter bearings, a piston in the chamber tor forcing the lubricant to the cutter bearings, a screw threaded rod eX- tending lengthwise of the lubricant chamber and throughthe piston, said screw rod having an extension coaxial with the apparatus and bearing at the center of the bottom of the hole being drilled, said extension holding the screw rod against rotating in unison with the rotation of the whole apparatus together with the piston whereby said piston is advanced along the screw rod, a spring and slip joint connection between the screw rod and'its extension and means for adjusting the spring.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.- i

CLARENCE E. REED. 

